A multistep templating procedure is used to prepare graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and titanium nitride/carbon composites with ordered, 2D hexagonal porosity. First, the carbon nitride is prepared by nanocasting using a silica (SBA-15) template. This carbon nitride is then replicated as a metal nitride carbon composite, using a simultaneous templating/conversion scheme ("reactive templating"). [GRAPHICS] .